ARC REVIEW: Girls Made of Snow and Glass by Melissa Bashardoust

I recieved this book for free from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. (Publication: September 5th, 2017)

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★

Synopsis: At sixteen, Mina’s mother is dead, her magician father is vicious, and her silent heart has never beat with love for anyone—has never beat at all, in fact, but she’d always thought that fact normal. She never guessed that her father cut out her heart and replaced it with one of glass. When she moves to Whitespring Castle and sees its king for the first time, Mina forms a plan: win the king’s heart with her beauty, become queen, and finally know love. The only catch is that she’ll have to become a stepmother.

Fifteen-year-old Lynet looks just like her late mother, and one day she discovers why: a magician created her out of snow in the dead queen’s image, at her father’s order. But despite being the dead queen made flesh, Lynet would rather be like her fierce and regal stepmother, Mina. She gets her wish when her father makes Lynet queen of the southern territories, displacing Mina. Now Mina is starting to look at Lynet with something like hatred, and Lynet must decide what to do—and who to be—to win back the only mother she’s ever known…or else defeat her once and for all.

Entwining the stories of both Lynet and Mina in the past and present, Girls Made of Snow and Glass traces the relationship of two young women doomed to be rivals from the start. Only one can win all, while the other must lose everything—unless both can find a way to reshape themselves and their story.

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Retellings, LGBT

Review: I’ve always been a fan of retellings, but what grabbed my interest about this one in particular was the overtly feminist message it advocated from the beginning. The author is fully aware about how this book will be received by readers, and I think, surprisingly, that’s a good thing. The novel takes pains to never pit the two women against each other, instead focusing on building their relationship. As a result, the fallout that occurs is made that much sadder.

Miscommunication is the crux of this novel. What it lacks in obstacles and exposition, it makes up for in exceptional character development. Although often frustrating, there are points in this novel where you see real change occur, and they are special. Seamless transitions between narratives in the past and present allow for the story to flow naturally, to provide important background which leads to development. However, that development, that depth, falls only on Lynet and Mina. I truly wish Nadia had been developed more, as she brought a new component to an often revisited tale. I also thought that for a stand-alone, it was lacking in real progress. It seemed to set the stage for more than what actually occurred. That being said, I was pleasantly surprised by the LGBT+ representation.

This is a wonderful novel and a wonderful retelling. It sets the bar high for authors in the future who seek to write feminist endings for well-loved fairytales.

Add it on Goodreads!

25 Must-Read Underrated YA Novels

Sometimes it can feel like the YA community is controlled by only a handful of books, right? We know there are incredible, deserving novels which are overshadowed by the most popular ones, but fear no more! We’ve compiled a list of 25 must-reads, of any genre, for all you YA book junkies out there. Don’t see your fave listed? Tell us in the comments and we’ll check it out!

• The Body Electric by Beth Revis: When I think “underrated”, this book immediately comes to mind. Beth Revis crafted a brilliant novel about aritificial intelligence based on an old short story she had written, and it could not be better. It barely left my hands once I picked it up, and it’s chock-full of genuinely surprising twists from an unreliable narrator. It’s absolutely fascinating and thought-provoking, and to miss out on it would be a crime.
• Tiny Pretty Things by Sona Charaipotra and Dhonielle Clayton: Cutthroat ballerinas, diverse characters, and New York City is all I need in a book. The first in a duology focusing on three girls at an elite ballet training school, this novel takes on far more than what you would expect. Eating disorders, bullying, and institutionalized racism are to be expected, but by delving deep into the psyches of these girls, you find far more. It does all of this and more, but never at the expense of the core of the novel, which is dance.
• Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea by April Genevieve Tucholke: Tucholke takes gothic to new heights in this novel. It’s a captivating blend of romance, horror, and psychological thriller that has sadly gone unnoticed by many readers. The characters all come with their own annoyances and faults, but that’s what makes this book so hard to put down: you know they’re doing everything wrong, and you’re eagerly anticipating the fallout.
• Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein: I hold this book so close to my heart that every time I recommend it to someone else, I feel like I’m giving a part of myself away. Describing the plot here would equal spoiling it, so I’ll be plain. Set in World War II, it focuses on the friendship between two girls: one a spy, and one a pilot, and how their lives intertwine and change forever. It’s gripping and heartbreaking, and though everyone says it’s about the power of female friendship, let’s be real – we all know Maddie and Julie are in love with each other. Gut-wrenching though it may be, everyone should experience this novel.
• Seven Ways We Lie by Riley Redgate: Penned by a recent graduate of the college I am about to attend, this book focuses seven high schoolers who all embody the seven deadly sins. While I haven’t read it myself, Meg has, and she absolutely adored it. It’s diverse, scandalous, and impossible to put down.
• The Fixer by Jennifer Lynn Barnes: I’m always down for a good political thriller, but this one takes the cake. It’s not overly complicated, but it’s fast-paced and weaves a brilliant web of lies, deception, and secrets. Tess Kendrick moves to D.C. and accidentally becomes just like her sister, and is made the “fixer” at her new elite high school. I know it sounds like Scandal, but believe me, it’s insanely better. I devoured it as soon as it was in my hands.
• Bone Gap by Laura Ruby: Despite winning multiple awards, this book is rarely discussed between the readers of the community. The citizens of Bone Gap, Illinois, are no stranger to people leaving. So when a young woman goes missing, no one thinks the better of it – except one boy, who’s convinced he saw her kidnapped by a man whose face he cannot remember. But when no one believes him, he takes it upon himself to find her. It’s a strange amalgamation of magical realism, mystery, and romance, but it works like no other.
• The Walls Around Us by Nova Ren Suma: My obsession with ballerina books is back, and this time with a twist – murder. Alternating between the perspectives of two girls – one in jail for murder, and one hiding a terrible secret whilst on the brink of her big break – this novel is unbelievably suspenseful. With a hint of paranormal, and a whole lot of questions, Nova Ren Suma crafted a truly brilliant tale with a genuinely shocking ending. Her writing is gorgeous and atmospheric, and each page leaves you wanting more.
• All Our Yesterdays by Cristin Terrill: Meg had to convince me into reading this, and after doing so, I knew I should’ve listened to her earlier. I really, truly don’t want to give the plot away, so I’ll leave you with some key words: time travel, unexpected love, and sacrifice. While it may not be constantly surprising, it is quite the journey, and it left me speechless by the end. Go read it – now.
• The Merciless by Danielle Vega: I have a soft spot for horror novels (now there’s a sentence!) but this one in particular. I always describe it to people as “Heathers, but if it was Satanic” and that still holds true. It’s just the right amount of stomach-turning descriptions for it to be tastefully young adult, but it does not ever shy away from being outright terrifying. It’s not shocking, but it doesn’t need to be. It’ll have you on the edge of your seat either way, keeping you up far later than you should be while reading a book like this.
  • Fun fact: I got a nosebleed the night I read this, and a perfect drop of blood ended up falling on the cover, right in the middle of the pentagram. Oops?
• The Chaos Walking Trilogy by Patrick Ness: I will never understand how this book doesn’t get all the love and attention that The Hunger Games, Divergent, etc. do. It’s incredibly well written and its language reflects the intelligence and dialect of the characters’ narratives, it refuses to dumb down complex ideas for a target audience, and it’s just all around stunning. I’ve never read another book like it, and I don’t think I ever will. It is unique, captivating, and a literal journey. You’re seriously missing out. And if you read the first one and then gave up like so many do – read it again. I think you’ll find that a fresh eye brings new discoveries with each page.
• The Hundred Lies of Lizzie Lovett by Chelsea Sedoti:  I received an ARC of this book and absolutely adored it. I set it aside in my head as a wonderful memory, and never thought to check back up on it after its publication. When I did, I found that the jury was hung on opinions of it. However, I thought it was a gorgeous debut and a very realistic, casual portrayal of what it’s like to be finding yourself in high school when it seems like all the odds are stacked against you. It hits you with reality and its highly affective. Whether in a good or a bad way is up to the reader to decide.
• The Book of Ivy by Amy Engel: This is one of Meg’s picks, and I admittedly know next to nothing about this novel. But I trust Meg (and the shocking 4.19 average rating this book has on Goodreads) and it certainly sounds like an interesting read. Ivy is determined to kill the president’s son, who just so happens to be her soon-to-be-husband, in a war-torn America in order to restore her family’s legacy. Whew.
• The Murder Complex by Lindsay Cummings: Fast-paced and gory, this book seems like it would be predictable and overdone. It’s anything but. It’s a fantastic debut about a future in which the murder rate is higher than the birth rate, and an organization known as “The Murder Complex” sends out trained assassins to keep the population in control. Its short chapters keep you turning the page and itching for more, and you won’t be disappointed.
• Dare Me by Megan Abbott: In my opinion, this book gets a bad rap. Abbott is a brilliant writer who is highly skilled at crafting an atmosphere, creating feeligs that seem almost palpable at times. She establishes tone with unheard of precision, and this book is the pinnacle of that. So many people say that this book advocates dangerous perspectives on teen girls, but I disagree. I think it does the opposite. It lays out unflinching reality, just with a more murderous background. Plot and characters aside, I think it’s hard to argue that this isn’t a brilliantly written novel.
• The Ring and the Crown by Melissa de la Cruz: I’m an absolute sucker for high fantasy and forbidden love. This book is, plain and simple, an enjoyable read. It’s interesting, it focuses intently on many characters, and it causes a whole host of emotions. It’s incredibly sad that there won’t be a sequel, but the memories I have of staying up until 6am to finish this are fond, and I have always hoped more readers would open themselves up to this book.
• Challenger Deep by Neal Shusterman: This is a downright captivating novel about mental illness and the challenges it presents. What makes it especially powerful, however, is that Shusterman was inspired by his own son’s struggles to write this novel. The inclusion of his son’s drawings as representations of the plot only further maximizes the emotion of this book. I’ll admit, I had an easier time reading this than some and that may be why I like it more than many do. It’s is confusing and challenging, but it’s supposed to be. It’s raw, it’s real, and it’s hard to distinguish where reality begins and ends. But it is a reflection of the narrator, and that is what makes it so special. Please, please read this novel.
• The Last Boy and Girl in the World by Siobhan Vivian: This book turned out to be nothing like I expected, and for a while after reading it, I was disappointed. However, when I think of it now, I’ll admit I get super weepy. It’s based on a true story (even though I’ve tried and failed to find out what that may be) about a town slowly being flooded by the government. You see each resident leave for different reasons, one by one, and the failure of those who try to stay. It has family elements, romance elements, but it is, at its core, a deeply human novel.
• Wink Poppy Midnight by April Genevieve Tucholke: Unsurprisingly, another Tucholke novel has ended up on this list (because seriously, guys, she’s fantastic). Based on an old French film from the 1950s, this book is a masterful web of genres. A little fantasy, a little mystery, and, of course, a dash of murder. It’s twisty and dangerous, and the characters are alluring and complex. It made me question everything at all times, and even when I thought I had it all figured out, I turned out to be completely wrong. It’s incredibly imaginative and beautifully written.
• Rebel Belle by Rachel Hawkins: Let’s pretend, for my sake, that Rebel Belle is underrated, okay? I’ve been a fan of Rachel Hawkins since I was in 5th grade, and I’m not kidding when I say that I was looking forward to this book since the moment she posted about the idea on her blog. And it ended up becoming one of my absolute favorites of all time. It’s funny, it’s romantic, and it’s just plain enjoyable. Harper and David have permanent spots in my heart, but it’s Harper who I truly adore. She’s badass and feminine, and she never sacrificed one for the other. It’s contemporary, it’s fantasy, it’s everything you need in a book.
• The Internment Chronicles by Lauren DeStefano: Call it dystopia or fantasy, one thing is true: people are living on a cloud. A cloud where everything is perfect until someone gets murdered. The death sparks change for the community and the characters – a love triangle, a new desire to see the world beyond the cloud, and a distrust in the life that has always been accepted at face value. It’s a gorgeous book with a gorgeous cover, and it builds ever in complexity.
• City of Savages by Lee Kelly: Another of Meg’s picks, this is a dystopian novel centered on the island of Manhattan, where two sisters are attempting to discover family secrets, but find ones about Manhattan instead. Gripping, dangerous, and revelatory.
• Hourglass by Myra McEntire: I read this book quite some time ago, and I always wish it had found its popularity when it was first published. Emerson Cole has always seen people and things which were not there, and when she finally meets someone with the same power, ends up in a time-bending situation – trying to change a death. The trilogy just gets better and more complex with each book, and the focus on different characters in each one allows for wonderful development. Also, it’s a southern novel about time travel – so really, how can it be bad?
• The Endgame Trilogy by James Frey and Neil Johnson-Shelton: Now, before you bite my head off, no, this book is not The Hunger Games or Battle Royale. This is a complex, unique, and interactive novel that has never been done before. It’s a huge book, but the chapters are short and fairly simple. It’s a stunning mix of history, sci-fi, and dystopia with a diverse cast of determined characters. It’s a page-turner, if nothing else.
• Burn Baby Burn by Meg Medina: Last but certainly not least, this is one of Meg’s picks! Set in New York City in the 1970s, a serial killer is on the loose, and Nora’s life just so happens to be falling apart at the same time. It’s a tense time for the city, and a tense time for Nora, who has to learn to face life head-on even when she doesn’t want to.

REVIEW: Unrivaled (Beautiful Idols #1) by Alyson Noel

Rating:  ★ ★ ★

Synopsis: Layla Harrison wants to leave her beach-bum days for digs behind a reporter’s desk. Aster Amirpour wants to scream at the next casting director who tells her “we need ethnic but not your kind of ethnic.” Tommy Phillips dreams of buying a twelve-string guitar and using it to shred his way back into his famous absentee dad’s life.

But Madison Brooks took destiny and made it her bitch a long time ago.

She’s Hollywood’s hottest starlet, and the things she did to become the name on everyone’s lips are merely a stain on the pavement, ground beneath her Louboutin heel.

That is, until Layla, Aster, and Tommy find themselves with a VIP invite to the glamorous and gritty world of Los Angeles’s nightlife and lured into a high-stakes competition where Madison Brooks is the target. Just as their hopes begin to gleam like stars through the California smog, Madison Brooks goes missing. . . . And all of their hopes are blacked out in the haze of their lies.

Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Thriller, Mystery

Review: Novels about Los Angeles have always appealed to me, especially those which focus on the illistrious, yet seedy underbelly of the city. Add in a sketchy competition, and it’s was right up my alley. This book felt a lot like something I would’ve read and adored in middle school, and I was pleasantly surprised to find that I still enjoyed it now. It was fast paced and thrilling, and despite being long and not getting to the nitty gritty parts of the book until the very end, it never dragged. It was a solid novel and a good kickoff to what I’m sure is going to be a series growing in complexity.

However, I anticipated and wanted something far more atmospheric. This might be the one book that I actually craved exposition in, as I think it would’ve helped craft the tone and allow for less explicit description of each moment. There was depth, but it was only just enough for the three main players to not be considered surface characters. And while I normally do not comment on grammar in books, unless it is unique and purposeful or truly horrendous, I must say there was significant comma misuse that interrupted the flow of the novel and was sometimes confusing. I’ve never read an Alyson Noel novel before, so maybe that’s just her style, but either way I was turned off by it.

I look forward to continuing this series, but it has not skyrocketed to the top of my list as I wish it had. It was a solid, interesting read, and I know that the series is only going to get better, especially with that cliffhanger. It was not, however, a standout. Unrivaled certainly left me yearning for more, but I’m just not sure when I’ll want it.

View on Tumblr

ARC Review: The Amateurs (The Amateurs #1) by Sara Shepard

I received this book for free from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Summary: As soon as Seneca Frazier sees the post on the Case Not Closed website about Helena Kelly, she’s hooked. Helena’s high-profile disappearance five years earlier is the one that originally got Seneca addicted to true crime. It’s the reason she’s a member of the site in the first place.

So when Maddy Wright, her best friend from the CNC site, invites Seneca to spend spring break in Connecticut looking into the cold case, she immediately packs her bag. But the moment she steps off the train in trendy, glamorous Dexby, things begin to go wrong. Maddy is nothing like she expected, and Helena’s sister, Aerin Kelly, seems completely hostile and totally uninterested in helping with their murder investigation.

But when Brett, another super user from the site, joins Seneca and Maddy in Dexby, Aerin starts to come around. The police must have missed something, and someone in Dexby definitely has information they’ve been keeping quiet.

As Seneca, Brett, Maddy, and Aerin begin to unravel dark secrets and shocking betrayals about the people closest to them, they seem to be on the murderer’s trail at last. But somewhere nearby the killer is watching . . . ready to do whatever it takes to make sure the truth stays buried.

Genre: Young Adult, Mystery, Crime, Thriller

Review: I was a big fan of Shepard’s Pretty Little Liars books when I was in middle school, and I always found them incredibly engaging. This was no different. It was fast faced and kept you guessing right up until the very last second. While there were a few lines here and there that I personally disagreed with, it was interesting and I absolutely couldn’t put it down. The characters were all well rounded, the plot well thought out and executed precisely, and you were kept on the edge of your seat with the constant twists and turns. I’ll definitely be continuing on with this series, especially after such a cliffhanger! This just might be Shepard’s best book yet.

REVIEW: Summer Days and Summer Nights edited by Stephanie Perkins

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★

Summary: Maybe it’s the long, lazy days, or maybe it’s the heat making everyone a little bit crazy. Whatever the reason, summer is the perfect time for love to bloom. Summer Days & Summer Nights: Twelve Love Stories, written by twelve bestselling young adult writers and edited by the international bestselling author Stephanie Perkins, will have you dreaming of sunset strolls by the lake. So set out your beach chair and grab your sunglasses. You have twelve reasons this summer to soak up the sun and fall in love.

Featuring stories by Leigh Bardugo, Francesca Lia Block, Libba Bray, Cassandra Clare, Brandy Colbert, Tim Federle, Lev Grossman, Nina LaCour, Stephanie Perkins, Veronica Roth, Jon Skovron, and Jennifer E. Smith.

Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Short Story, Anthology

Review (by story): Head, Scales, Tongue, Tail by Leigh Bardugo – 3/5: I’ve never been the biggest fan of Bardugo’s writing, but I think this set the tone for how dynamic this anthology was going to be. While I enjoyed the majority of the story, I didn’t like the ending. Unfortunately, I think that ruined most of it for me. I just couldn’t get into the concept when I was expecting something entirely different.

The End of Love by Nina LaCour – 5/5: I really loved this story, and it was wonderful to see a wlw couple so early into the book, which I wasn’t surprised by since this came from Nina LaCour! Overall, I felt it was solid and heartfelt. I look forward to reading more of LaCour’s work in the future.

Last Stand at the Cinegore by Libba Bray – 4/5: I’m the absolute biggest fan of Libba Bray. I’m so totally biased towards anything she writes. That being said, while I loved this story personally, I don’t think it fit in very well with the tone of the book overall. But it was the perfect mix of scary, funny, and romantic, which is just what I love from Bray.

Sick Pleasure by Francesca Lia Block – 4.5/5: This story came as a big surprise to me. I liked the tone and the writing style immensely, especially how it took on a much larger issue. It was unexpected but incredibly well executed. I’d never read anything by this author before, but I would definitely consider doing so now. I loved it, but there were moments where I felt like I got lost along the way, which impacted my rating just the smallest bit.

In Ninety Minutes, Turn North by Stephanie Perkins – 3.5/5: I had such high expectations for Perkins’ story, so I felt let down when I saw that this story returned to Marigold and North from My True Love Gave to Me. It was a good story, but it didn’t have the romantic feel all the other stories had at their core. I really would’ve liked to see something new.

Souvenirs by Tim Federle – 4.5/5: This was a really wonderful story. Once again, I loved the LGBT couple, this time focusing on two men. It was a very interesting concept, and I thought it was written well. I wasn’t into it entirely for most of the story because I didn’t like the characters all that much, but it was sad in a very uplifting way, if that makes any sense. It had a really good ending and overall message to take from, which made me love this so much.

Inertia by Veronica Roth – 5/5: This was by far my favorite story of the bunch. It was a really great concept that turned into something so much deeper and more meaningful. It had just enough of a sci-fi feel to give the concept some roots, but it still felt contemporary. This one resonated with me in a way the others didn’t, and even had just a bit of a twist at the end. It was romantic, but it gave you a vibe the other couples didn’t, as it was rooted in friendship. I’d recommend this anthology on this story alone.

Love is the Last Resort by Jon Skovron – 3/5: While I liked this story, the writing style totally affected my feelings towards it. It felt so haughty and pretentious that it felt absolutely nothing like a YA contemporary short story. It was very melodramatic and felt out of place more than any other story in this book. I wanted to like it, and I liked parts of it, but it let me down.

Good Luck and Farewell by Brandy Colbert – 3.5/5: I really liked this story, but I wanted to feel more from it. I felt unconnected to the characters, and I understand why. They were dealing with issues I never have to deal with and would never want to. Ultimately, I felt more interested in Audrey and Gillian’s story than Rashida and Pierre’s. I think it’s hard to go from a love-hate relationship to a love relationship so quickly, and the relationship moved just too fast for me to like.

Brand New Attraction by Cassandra Clare – [SKIPPED]: I was definitely not reading a story by Cassandra Clare. And after hearing what this story was about, I sure am glad I didn’t.

A Thousand Ways This Could All Go Wrong by Jennifer E. Smith – 5/5: Next to Inertia, this was my favorite story. I didn’t expect it to go in the direction it went, nor did I expect it to take on such a heavy issue. But it was handled with grace and written well and properly, without doing a disservice to the issue at hand. It was very sweet and romantic, and even with the complication in the story, nothing changed for the characters, which I loved.

The Map of Tiny Perfect Things by Lev Grossman – 5/5: This was the perfect way to end the anthology, and another of my favorite stories. It had a fantasy/sci-fi concept and vibe, but the development of the characters and the writing style was engrossing. It was sad, but it was ultimately a story about growing strength, which I loved. It was a perfect conclusion.

In my opinion, this anthology was less than stellar. I definitely liked the second half of the stories than the first half. It was very dynamic, which I thought was important, and it was good enough, but it has nothing on My True Love Gave to Me. That being said, some of these stories were so wonderful that I’d recommend the whole anthology in a heartbeat.

REVIEW: The Long Game (The Fixer #2) by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Summary: The Kendricks help make the problems of the Washington elite disappear…but some secrets won’t stay buried.

For Tess Kendrick, a junior at the elite Hardwicke School in Washington, D.C., fixing runs in the family. But Tess has another legacy, too, one that involves power and the making of political dynasties. When Tess is asked to run a classmate’s campaign for student council, she agrees. But when the candidates are children of politicians, even a high school election can involve life-shattering secrets.

Meanwhile, Tess’s guardian has also taken on an impossible case, as a terrorist attack calls into doubt who can—and cannot—be trusted on Capitol Hill. Tess knows better than most that power is currency in D.C., but she’s about to discover firsthand that power always comes with a price.

Genre: Young Adult, Thriller, Mystery, Contemporary

Review: The Fixer was one of my absolute favorite books, and once I got my hands on this book, I couldn’t put it down. Unbelievably, it was even more intense and fast paced than The Fixer. It went deeper into the world that the first book had created while also crafting an entirely original plot. I could barely wrap my head around the twists and turns, and it surprised me every time. This was a stunning follow-up to The Fixer.

That being said, I was really disappointed to hear that this was a duology. It’s a perfect sequel, but it just isn’t a conclusion, Especially with an ending like it has, which introduced a whole new element to what the books have been building. Furthermore, I was hoping to see Henry develop more. He was taken in an entirely new direction, and so was his relationship with Tess. As amazing as this book was, it’s just not right for it to end here when there’s so, so much more to delve into.

It’s hard to review this book and not immediately go into spoiler territory. It was, in one word, an experience. One that every individual reader should go on alone.Overall, this book met every expectation I had for it, and then some. It was just a thrilling and engrossing as the first book, and I’m truly hoping to see a third book in this series’ future. It deserves one.

ARC Review: The Hundred Lies of Lizzie Lovett by Chelsea Sedoti

I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Summary: Hawthorn wasn’t trying to insert herself into a missing person’s investigation. Or maybe she was. But that’s only because Lizzie Lovett’s disappearance is the one fascinating mystery their sleepy town has ever had. Bad things don’t happen to popular girls like Lizzie Lovett, and Hawthorn is convinced she’ll turn up at any moment-which means the time for speculation is now.

So Hawthorn comes up with her own theory for Lizzie’s disappearance. A theory way too absurd to take seriously…at first. The more Hawthorn talks, the more she believes. And what better way to collect evidence than to immerse herself in Lizzie’s life? Like getting a job at the diner where Lizzie worked and hanging out with Lizzie’s boyfriend. After all, it’s not as if he killed her-or did he?

Told with a unique voice that is both hilarious and heart-wrenching, Hawthorn’s quest for proof may uncover the greatest truth is within herself.

Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Mystery

Review: Let me preface this review by saying I absolutely cannot wait for this book to be published. I requested it on a whim, and I could not be more happy that it came into my life, especially right now. It’s one of the finest examples of character development in contemporary young adult fiction by far. The entire book flows seamlessly, naturally, and without hesitation. There are moments of harsh reality and raw emotion. It is a book about self-discovery and realization, and it does not hold back.

Hawthorn Creely is one of the most relatable narrators out there. Her “cliche” moments don’t seem that at all – they’re simply who she is, and what she struggles with on a daily basis. She’s a loser, but at no point does she attempt to change herself to fit others. She is unabashedly original, but that doesn’t mean she always loves being that way. She’s hard to handle sometimes, and that’s what makes her all the better. She goes through the ups and downs that we all do, and she handles them in stride, even when it’s hard.

Every inch of this book was flawless. It made me laugh, it made me cry, and y the end of it I felt emotionally drained. I felt everything Hawthorn did, and I just wanted to give her a hug. It’s by far one of the best YA novels I’ve read, and I can’t wait for everyone to be able to experience it and find something of themselves in it the way that I did.

This book is, ultimately, about discovery. Disocvering yourself, others, and life for what it really is.

Review: Wink Poppy Midnight by April Genevieve Tucholke

Summary: Every story needs a hero.
Every story needs a villain.
Every story needs a secret.

Wink is the odd, mysterious neighbor girl, wild red hair and freckles. Poppy is the blond bully and the beautiful, manipulative high school queen bee. Midnight is the sweet, uncertain boy caught between them. Wink. Poppy. Midnight. Two girls. One boy. Three voices that burst onto the page in short, sharp, bewitching chapters, and spiral swiftly and inexorably toward something terrible or tricky or tremendous.

What really happened?
Someone knows.
Someone is lying.

Rating:  ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Genre: Young Adult, Mystery, Fantasy, Contemporary, Thriller

Review: April Genevieve Tucholke is on my auto-buy list. Any time she publishes something, I don’t hesitate to read it. And this book was just what I expected from her. While it differs from Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea in a lot of ways, her style is clear and present. This book is eerie, consuming, atmospheric, and gritty. Full of mystery, it made you keep guessing at every twist and turn.

After learning what this book was based on (Les Diaboliques, a French film from the 1950s), I was completely hooked. The plot was just a bit of fantasty, just a bit of mystery, and just a bit of murder that combined into something completely original. The book built and built to one moment, and then changed your whole thinking afterwards. I loved the flip-flopping that occurred at every turn, which is really what made this book stand out, and why it’s so important to repeatedly mention. There was just a bit of romance to keep you engaged on one point, but that added to the intrigue of the plot, never overpowered it.

Every character was just as engaging as the others. I loved the split POV that changed in the middle of pages, and that there were no real chapters. You were continuously urged to keep reading with the short, intermittent chapters. I loved that each character was given a seemingly obvious cliche persona, but you never knew who they were. Either to themselves, or to others. By the end of the novel, what you thought you knew about the character types they embodied was completely wrong. You never stopped guessing about who these people really were.

Overall, this was a stunning novel from a stunning author. I can’t wait to see what Tucholke puts out next, as I’m sure it’s going to be just as gritty as her previous work. If you haven’t picked up this beautiful book yet, do so immediately.

Review: Lady Renegades (Rebel Belle #3) by Rachel Hawkins

 

Summary: Just as Harper Price starts coming to terms with her role as David Stark’s battle-ready Paladin, protector, and girlfriend—her world goes crazy all over again.

Overwhelmed by his Oracle powers, David flees Pine Grove and starts turning teenaged girls into Paladins—and these young ladies seem to think that Harper is the enemy David needs protecting from.  Ordinarily, Harper would be able to fight off any Paladin who comes her way, but her powers have been dwindling since David left town, which means her life is on the line yet again.

Now, it’s a desperate race for Harper to find and rescue David before she backslides from superhero to your garden-variety type-A belle.

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Contemporary

Review: If you don’t already know, I’m an enormous fan of Rebel Belle. I’ve spent a lot of time with this series, and with Rachel Hawkins’ writing, and I could not be happier with this conclusion. It was happy, it was sad, it was funny – it was everything this series needed. At this point, if you haven’t read Rebel Belle, you’re seriously missing out. And this book is proof of that.

After suffering the heartbreak that was the end of Miss Mayhem, I’d been anticipating this release since the minute I finished the sequel. I was initially surprised at the length, but I think if it had been any longer it would’ve begun to drag. I was so happy to see that there were snippets from David’ point of view, even if they appeared without warning or acknowledgment in the middle of a chapter. Still, seeing his situation (and Harper) from his point of view was so necessary to this book.

If there’s anything I wouldv’e liked more from this book, it would’ve been more David. There’s hardly a thing to complain about, but I would’ve loved a split POV (or just a chapter in his POV here and there) to better understand where he was coming from. That being said, I didn’t feel like romance was necessary for the entire book. You got bits and pieces of the feelings Harper and David have for each other, you just simply got them with distance. What really mattered here was the care they have for each other as people and how that manifested. It was so important to me to see.

This novel built on every piece of foreshadowing that the previous novels gave. I thought coming into this that it wasn’t necessarily going to be happy, and I was right. But that being said, it was so bittersweet and hopeful. I loved that not a single moment slipped from this book. The things you saw and the people you met in both Rebel Belle and Miss Mayhem were present in this. Between the hints at prophecies, the fading Paladin powers, and the reappearance (or remembrance) of characters, you really felt like everything came together, which I think is rare for a conclusion.

The ending completely wrecked me, but it was so fitting. At the end of the day, Harper and David are ordinary people thrust into extraordinary circumstances. Seeing them return – at least partially – to who they were before felt pivotal to closing out their story. As sad as I was, the ending wasn’t unexpected.I could see it coming from a mile away, but I was just as upset as I would’ve been if I hadn’t. The ending gave me so, so much hope, and if Harper and David ever want to return to my life, I would gladly accept them back in. All in all, a stunning, fitting conclusion to a series close to my heart.